TODAY'S SIGNAL
Google introduced Gemini 3.8 Flash at the same introductory price as 3.7 Flash: $0.75 per million input tokens and $3.75 per million output tokens. Google says 3.8 Flash may use more tokens on complex tasks, especially at higher effort levels. It also says developers focused on compute efficiency can use lower effort levels to minimize token overhead or continue using 3.7 Flash.
Those are provider disclosures, not an independent result showing what either model costs to finish the same task. The business question is therefore completed-task cost alongside quality and latency, not token price alone.
Google says the introductory price expires December 31, 2026. Beginning January 1, 2027, the listed rates rise to $1.50 per million input tokens and $7.50 per million output tokens.
Completed-task cost, quality and latency on the same workloads at matched effort settings. Whether lower effort reduces token overhead enough for efficiency-first workloads without giving up the quality the buyer needs. How the January 1, 2027 price change alters production economics.
Pilot boundary: Public prototype review copy only. It is not professional advice or an approved service offering.
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